Shadow and Light
by Vicious Valentine
Summary: PG-13 for violence, R later. The sequel to Mystery of the Warrior, plot twists galore, and so much fighting it's almost like... cable television!
1. Death comes, even to the Innocent

Desclaimer: I do not own Zelda... but there's not much Zelda in it... I do own all of the new characters you see here. Din, Nayru, and Farore are under ownership of Nintendo.  
  
Side Note: This is a Sequel to Mystery of The Warrior, but this one may be a higher rating due to violent actions and some language.  
  
Death Comes, Even to the Innocent  
  
Vicious looked down upon the beautiful angel as she continued to hit him with her fists. She had surprising energy and she had been doing this for almost half an hour. His mind was simplified by the spell and he was most definitely bent on reaching the goal of merging the two realms.  
  
Tiffa, XenSity and Zero looked up at the seemingly celestial beings of Shadow and Light. They were taken aback as they could all feel that his power, his aura, was not his own and yet maniacally powerful.  
  
Xen looked over at his two friends and nodded to Zero, who was on the other side of Tiffa. Tiffa looked at Xen, and then to Zero, who was looking at the "battle" above.  
  
"What is it, guys?" She asked, somewhat worried for Zero, although she did not know him well.  
  
Zero suddenly burst into the air, his own energy flooding his systems as he powered to carry out Xen's plan. Tiffa reached to grab him, and stop him, but he was gone before she could. Xen simply watched as Zero flew towards his own death.  
  
Vicious did not see but felt as the robotic being flew towards them and knew that this being was on his way to destroy Vicious. Vicious didn't seem to care, but did do something.  
  
Zero glared up at his old friend and heard his internal speakers say, "Self-Destruct Systems activated." He was planning on grappling to the Shadow God and destroying himself along with the other to save the entire Realm.  
  
As he neared, he was caught off guard as a small figure struck him suddenly. The wings that were now broken and flayed across him told him that Vicious had thrown Caitlin at him.  
  
He whispered to himself, "Oh dear god, no..." and his body along with hers were detonated.  
  
The explosion knocked Xen and Tiffa from their feet, but didn't sway the Dark Creature that looked on from above. Xen watched with horror as the blast stopped feet from Zero and immediately imploded into nothing and vanished.  
  
Xen's hand burst into the air and gripped something. Tiffa rolled off her face and looked at him, "What is that?"  
  
His face veiled with sadness, she saw for herself. In his hand he held a single silvery feather. Her eyes darkened with anger and her gaze shot up at the lone figure in the sky. Vicious silently flew, his eyes filled with a sad emptiness.  
  
XenSity knew what he had to do. He reached into his satchel and drew his mask from it. He raised his left hand and Tiffa's mask flew into his grip. He then shattered the two masks with a squeeze, completing Zero's plan.  
  
Tiffa saw all this and did not question his motives. But, as he shattered her mask as well as his, she felt a quick tug and saw a shadow emerge from her body, as well as Xen's.  
  
They looked like the masks, but with a dark and wavy body. Together they drifted upwards and towards the form above. Tiffa and XenSity stood tall and ready for whatever was to happen, hoping against hope that even if he wasn't weakened by Zero's blast that it could still work.  
  
Vicious floated silently and contemplated on what exactly he should do to complete his Master's plan. He looked down suddenly as he heard a snap, and then another. He saw that two figures stood on the ground and watched as shadow spirits left their body and headed towards himself.  
  
He was hit by them and stunned as he felt his power become complete. He felt as if a bowl had filled. Part made whole. Power rushed through his veins and his tattered clothes burned off in an instant. He looked down at the pair with wide eyes as he began to feel pain. Dark purple flames seemed to erupt at his feet and he was immediately surrounded by his own burning power.  
  
Vicious looked at his right hand as it shook uncontrollably. His gaze averted to the sky and he shot into the air, xenSity and Tiffa dragged along behind him by his mere thought.  
  
When they came to a stop, they had somehow been transported to a strange new place. Tiffa looked around, as xen floated to her left, glaring at the deity that floated above.  
  
She saw that they were amidst clouds that were more like white crystal than actual clouds. In front of them stood a grand white palace made of the same meterial as the clouds.  
  
It stood to be a hundred times larger than Fanelia Castle itself and each of it's many towers reached beyond sight. But the size alone is not what made it so impressive. Tiffa could easily feel that a massive amount of power lay inside, the likes of which she had never dreamed of knowing. She had a feeling that this place was the Celestial Palace where most gods and goddesses made their home.  
  
Her eyes focused on one tower, towards the back and on the left. It seemed worn down and old, unlike the rest of the castle. This spire seemed to be made up of a different meterial as well. It looked something like glass and cement mixed, but dark and red as if it were made of blood and shadows. It seemed large enough for a small house to be inside, or a great large chamber. The top of it seemed to be shorter than most of the towers of the palace.  
  
She knew in her heart that this was their destination. She whispered to herself in her own vampire tongue, "Vela Sanctum Nocturnus." Or 'Sanctuary of the Dark Ones'. 


	2. Angels and Stories

Desclaimer: I do not own Zelda... but there's not much Zelda in it... I do own all of the new characters you see here. Din Nayru and Farore are under ownership of Nintendo.  
  
Author's Note: Review if possible, I'd like to know if I should head in a different direction, or if I need more or less characters.  
  
Angels and Stories  
  
Vicious looked down upon the two warriors, and his blank gaze was met by a glare of fury from xenSity. Vicious simply floated in place, his crimson wings beating the air. His gaze moved to Tiffany, and softened slightly.  
  
She looked up at him in shock and whispered to xenSity, "He recognizes me! Kevin is still in there somewhere!"  
  
XenSity shook his head, "Even if it were true, there is still heartlessness in him. We can't save that soul..."  
  
A wingbeat could be heard, but it sounded like many, and nearby. Before they knew what it was, the three warriors were surrounded from all sides by flying spectres. Beautiful creatures of light with power eminating fiercely from their bodies. Tiffa could not identify them, but one word from xenSity gave her all the knowledge she needed.  
  
Angels  
  
All beauty about them was illusional. They had the look of fierce warriors of all races and sexes. Every one of them was armed and ready for an all-out war. And their leaders, the Archangels, were easily identified as stronger and much more vicious.  
  
"Trespassers! How is it that you come here?!" Shouted the strongest of the Archangels, one wearing glowing white armor all over his body, with fourteen long, serpentine wings.  
  
Both Tiffa and Xen immediately pointed upwards, to the imposing dark form of the Fierce Deity Warrior, Vicious.  
  
Gasps of horror and surprise arose from the ranks of angels. Each of them had looks of confusion or terror on their faces. The second strongest, a female Archangel with a sickle blade stepped forward, "You cannot be FierceDeityWarrior! How could you take that form in our presence! It is an insult!"  
  
The stronger stepped forward, "Calm yourself, Moonlight, I have fought him face-to-face and that is him... but he seems somehow different..."  
  
For the first time, Vicious spoke, and all of the angels silenced themselves, even the archangels, "Tyrial, I will not bother with you, I have a task to perform, and your servants are preventing it. Move them or you will have a battle on your hands."  
  
All angels between Vicious and the Heavenly Castle parted without hesitation. Tyrial shouted, "What business do you have in Heaven? You are not an angel or a God!"  
  
Vicious glares at him, silencing him, and frightening the rest. Tiffa looked around in wonder at all of the beautiful creatures, shaking in fear of her dear friend and harmless ally. She could not imagine what kind of power he once had, and the stories he told her of the war came flooding back.  
  
She knew then that the only reason he would come near this kind of enemy, torn friends, and fallen allies, is for a high purpose. What it was still puzzled her, though.  
  
Her heart skipped a beat when he rocketed off in the direction of the Sanctuary of darkness. XenSity and herself were left behind, floating among the angels.  
  
Just then she realized that the angels were not the only ones around them. Each angel had a mask on his or her belt and a servant warrior in their shadow, almost unnoticable. Each of them looked much like Vicious in his true FierceDeity form. Their eyes were dull and grey instead of Vicious' bright white. Even the angels seemed uneasy about being near them, but each of them had one nipping at their heels.  
  
The angels then turned to the two lone earthbound beings. Tyrial spoke first, and without any of the hatred from before.  
  
"Why are you here, young ones? Did he bring you here for some purpose?" Tyrial seemed strong and handsome, but for some reason, there was a repulsive presence about him, as if he were cursed.  
  
XenSity spoke up, "No, he simply moved so fast we were dragged along. We will be going as soon as needed if we are not welcome. We simply need a means of... escape."  
  
The male portion of the Angels laughed at his combination of confidence and cowardice. The females remained silent, obviously less powerful, but much more wise.  
  
Moonlight spoke again, "You are welcome to leave as soon as you wish, but I think you deserve an explanation of our reaction to FierceDeityWarrior, and our lack of hospitality when you arrived. We can bring you into the hall of heaven to explain everything."  
  
Meanwhile, Vicious floated above the Sanctuary, his wings moving in a dull grace. In an instant, he fell through the roof and landed in a cround on the floor. Slowly, he stood and looked around the room.  
  
Laying on an alter before him, was a dark form, a much older and more powerfully built body then himself. It was identical to himself, and yet as if a relative more than a copy.  
  
His eyes widened and he felt his soul being tugged from his body. It was straining to keep his power within himself. The soul struggled, but lost as his power, and his soul itself, were torn from his body and his body became nothing more then the ashes of a mask.  
  
The older version sat up on the alter, "Finally... I have all three pieces... of myself..."  
  
He looked over and saw the whispy form of a soul, before it was drawn into a fiery portal in the floor.  
  
"Poor sap... He had no idea that he would lose his life here... Oh well, pity is for the weak, and with my power, he was not weak." He smirked, "I seem to remember being called... Charantanatah. Maybe something new is in order... Valentine, Vantino Valentine."  
  
Tiffa and xenSity stood alone at the center of the Great Hall, their only company was the good souls wandering through. Tyrial came back though the Entrance to Paradise and nodded to them both.  
  
"Tiffany... and xenSity. Those are your names, correct?" They both nodded and he smiles slightly, "Tiffa, FierceDeityWarrior's old partner and something like a mate. XenSity was a training partner and a close ally to him, even once a FierceDeity like himself, though never a full-blood."  
  
Tiffa flinched when she was spoken of in that cold tone of voice, 'old partner and something "like" a mate.' XenSity calmly nodded, "What of it?"  
  
Tyrial nodded with an all-knowing smirk on his lips. He stepped towards them, his great flowing wings slightly intimidating. His voice passed through his helmet again, "I am to understand you know of the great war of Shadow and Light. Well, at least his side of it."  
  
At this time, his dark servant stepped forward. It looked like a smaller and younger version of Vicious. It's dull eyes clearly had straining thought behind them, constrained by Tyrial's control.  
  
"Tiffa, I would like you to meet... FierceDeityWarrior's son, FierceDeityHendrax," Tyrial spoke with a cold confidence, and both xenSity and Tiffa flinched and stepped back.  
  
"WHAT?!" Was a shout both of them made, but Tiffa continued, "He had a SON?! Why didn't he tell me?!"  
  
Tyrial laughed quietly, "Because, to him, his son is dead. He has been under my control since the climax of the war. I chose him to be my Shad Tumore, or Shadow Servant."  
  
Blank stares came from both of them. Tyrial sighed, "During the war, we realized that for every FierceDeity we killed, we grew weaker. Shadow is the exception of light. Without shadow, light is absorbed much faster and grow weak easier. So in our battles, we fought for their masks. When we gained them, we gained control over them.  
  
"You see, they lost their power over themselves when we captured their masks for ourselves. We gained control. We won because for every one we defeated, we had one more fighter on our side. Their power matched our own, but their weaknesses far outshone ours. FierceDeityWarrior was my fiercest rival, dispite his lower rank, he was my greatest enemy and literally impossible to defeat in those days. I had his wife betray him, and give their son over. His wife is here, but she refuses to meet you, or to be in my presence with her son.  
  
"As you can tell, Her betrayal of him caused a lapse in his power, and he could not defend his allies. His formed changed to that of an omnipotent child, which did care enough to fight us. We won the war as he played with his toys. After the war was over, he reverted to FierceDeityWarrior and became a wanderer, suffering eternally for his weaknesses in that war."  
  
They took a moment to soak in this new information. Tiffa found herself speechless, but xenSity was far from that, "Well, how do you justify making war on the FierceDeities, AND enslaving CHILDREN!?"  
  
Tyrial laughed, "You naive mortals... Even FierceDeityWarrior was decieved by FierceDeityMaster and their ally, the LeoKnights. They made war on heaven to gain it's power. Angels being the guardians of heaven, we had to defend it on earth."  
  
Tiffa growled, foot grinding into the floor below, "Where... is... Kevin..."  
  
XenSity looked at her oddly, "I think she means Vicious, or FierceDeityWarrior... Better answer." 


	3. The Hunt Begins

Desclaimer: I do not own Zelda... but there's not much Zelda in it... I do own all of the new characters you see here. I spank all those who oppose me!  
  
Author's Note: Review if possible, I'd like to know if I should head in a different direction, or if I should give up altogether.  
  
The Hunt Begins  
  
Tyrial laughed, "Oh, he is dead by now. You see, he came here for his body, or at least his body called him here. The true owner of all of his powers was in the Sanctuary of Dark. He died long ago at the hands of his lover, and Goddess of Nature. She split him into Power, Wisdom, and Body. Power went to the masks of Fierce Deities. Wisdom went to their maker, who became FierceDeityMaster. The Body resides in that tower. In the war, we destroyed FDM, and his Wisdom returned to his body, but he was still lifeless as long as he was seperated from his power.  
  
"The FierceDeities lost all their power in the war, and it filtered into the sole survivor, FDW. He seperated it into you two, and when you gave it up to FDW again, in his weakened state, it pulled him to the Power's true Body. I suspect the Body took the Power, became complete, and Vicious became nothing more than the dust of an ancient mask."  
  
"Dude, seriously, you talk way too much," said a mysterious voice from the open doors behind Tyrial, "You have to go on and on about a dumb old fairy tales. True fairy tales, but fairy tales nonetheless..."  
  
Tyrial turned to him, sword ready, "Who dares speak to me like that?!"  
  
The dark figure shook his head and walked closer, slowly, but confidently, "You speak to a God in that tone of voice? How did you ever survive this long in Heaven?"  
  
"Charantanatah? Is it true? Have you been ressurrected?" Tyrial spoke as if a child to his father, or servant to his lord.  
  
Vantino shook his head slowly, "I'm tired of that name, call me Vantino Valentine. I much like Vicious' creativity with his name, but I prefer to mix it up, use his last name as my first, and I was always fond of the particular Saint Valentine. Nice fellow."  
  
Tiffa grew angry and blood tears stained her cheeks, "Is Kevin dead? Did you hurt Kevin?"  
  
XenSity tried to correct her again, but was met by a cold glare at him, so he remained silent.  
  
"I took what was mine, and yes, he is gone from this world, even Heaven itself." Vantino shrugged, "And I don't see why I should answer you anyway, even I know how you've hurt him."  
  
'Damnit, does EVERYONE know about us?!' "I don't care what you say! Bring Kevin back now!" She stomped the floor, cracking the ancient carvings in the floor, below her feet.  
  
Vantino stares at her, a cocky grin on his face, "You can go find him, but it may be difficult... A man like him could only exist in the afterlife of Hell."  
  
She seemed to choke on the spot, finding it hard to breathe, so xenSity found the courage to speak to the Shadow God, "How would we get there, exactly?"  
  
"Haha, brave ones, good... good. Well, you can't exactly just go to hell. You have to obtain three things." He spoke knowingly, and with amusement.  
  
"What do we need?" Tiffa spoke again, still finding it hard to breathe, "How do we find Kevin?"  
  
Vantino closed his eyes, "You must obtain the three keys for mortals to enter Hades, or Hell. First, the Sword That Does No Harm. Second, the Beauty hidden within a Beast. Finally, the Iron Hand with a delicate touch."  
  
XenSity nodded, dedicating them to memory. Tiffa simply stared at him, "That's not very specific..."  
  
"My desired effect, just go to Fanelia, you'll find the first there, it shall lead you to the others," Vantino grinned.  
  
"Grrr... I really hate you," Tiffa growled, "You know that?"  
  
Vantino grinned, "Awww, I feel the same way about you, now go. Have fun, kids!"  
  
Tiffa glared at him, but xenSity bowed and took her hand, leading her away and outside. He turned to her suddenly, "What were you THINKING?! Do you think FDW was strong? That guy is not only his power, but a god's soul and body! He's lethal in the truest sense! He could do anything he wanted to us!"  
  
She ignored him and growled, "Don't lecture me. Kevin was my friend long before he met you. You don't know anything. I'm not afraid of that bastard just like I wasn't afraid of Kevin when I met him. And believe me, he was as fearsome as he was romantic."  
  
XenSity stared blankly, "Uhhh... okayyy. But still, I am afraid and I do not want to anger a god."  
  
Tiffa flipped her hair and turned her back on him, "Let's just go..."  
  
They left heaven, mean-looking Angelic Guards all around them until they were long gone. Their feet met with earth a few miles away from Sutherland.  
  
XenSity looked at Tiffa with concern, "You okay? You seemed a bit sluggish on our way back, and I thought losing Kevin like that might..."  
  
"Stop," She said, "Losing Kevin like that was nothing more then it was to you. I don't love him anymore. I told him that, I told you that, and if you don't believe me... shut up."  
  
"Look, Tiffa. I know as much as you're friends, you were partners. You've been very close for very long. He may not be your oldest friend, but he was your best friend for a long, long time, even when everybody else abandoned you," XenSity spoke with wisdom, with respect, and with concern.  
  
She still knocked his lights out. He lay on the ground, clutching his face, shouting in pain. She laughed, "Shut up, I told you. I warned you. Now let's go."  
  
A man walked nearby, passing them towards Sutherland, but not coming near. Tiffa and xenSity were speaking about where to look exactly, and ignored their guest. He lowered the dish-shaped wheat-built hat that covered his head and concealed a good portion of his face. His deep red kimono seemed nothing out of the ordininary, Kitana at his side was still nothing special. But he still seemed more than wary of the two warriors.  
  
The pair took foot upon ground again in a Fanelian Village, beyond Sutherland. Each surveyed the landscape, and asked the other, "So which one do you think is here?" Neither could answer.  
  
Tiffa shrugged finally and spoke, "Probably not the Iron Hand with a delicate touch, these people are too brutal to be like that. Couldn't be the sword that does no harm... Every sharp thing around here is thrown or stabbed into something else, they're idiots. Gotta be the Beauty/Beast thing."  
  
Xen responded with nothing more than a nod. They asked around for a beast, and came up with nothing. The whole clueless village was peeving Tiffa, but Xen was familiar with these people, and was very patient with them.  
  
Finally, xenSity found something, and met tiffa at the center of the village, just as she dropped a homeless man who had insulted her, bleeding. He laughed briefly at this, but her cold stare stopped that, "I found something. A woman told me a wild girl lived in a forest a few miles away. She has stolen food and supplies from this woman, apperently. Seems like the beast, or at least a good lead."  
  
Tiffa, still a little off that day, simply nodded. They both turned North and took off into the air with ease. 


	4. The Beast Strikes

Desclaimer: I do not own Zelda... but there's not much Zelda in it... I do own all of the new characters you see here. I spank all those who oppose me!  
  
Author's Note: Review damnit, I need to know if I should head in a different direction, or if I should give up altogether.  
  
The Beast Strikes  
  
The girl stroked her tail slowly as she waited for the mouse to crawl out from it's burrow in the tree. She knew it was starved by the way it walked in. A small yowl escaped her lips, hunger getting the best of her for an instant.  
  
This girl lived alone in the Great Forest of Fanelia. She wasn't exactly a girl, either. She looked mostly human, but she had cat-ears, extendable claws, and a tail. She also tended to move like a feline. Her meals were scarce if any in her current days. She occasionally stole from faraway villagers, but only if she was desperate, the girl was against stealing.  
  
Her kind was not usually uncommon, but was definitely an odd sight in this country. She spoke to herself quite often, out of boredom and to fight off solitude, "Come to mommy Ayane, I won't bite... We can have lunch together." She licked her lips as she spoke.  
  
No response came from the hole, not even a squeak, and the scent of it told her the mouse had passed into death. She growled and became angry, but a sudden shiver ran over her body, "I sense something... what's that?"  
  
Tiffa and Xen finally reached the forest, and were flying over it, searching for any 'beauty within beasts' of any kind. All they noticed was an odd-looking cat, and lots of trees. After a few sweeps of that area of forest, they began to doubt the village woman's story.  
  
Just as they began to leave, a black-and-white blur burst from the trees, cought xenSity in the middle, and brought him to the ground.  
  
Tiffa hardly reacted quickly enough, and the catgirl had him pinned, his face against a tree, her hands holding his behind him, and her tail with steel blades on it to the side of his neck.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked, a growl slowly grinding in her throat, "And why are you in MY forest?!"  
  
Her breathing suddenly stopped in fear as the cold steel of a sword was pressed against her neck. In that instant, xenSity was free and a few steps away, nursing his wrists.  
  
She stuttered in fear, "Wh-what are you two?"  
  
Tiffa kept her blade against the front of Ayane's neck from behind, "How rude... asking our species before our names, and even after attacking us without reason. I should tear your head off right now."  
  
Ayane's eyes flashed a cold silver and Tiffa stepped back. Ayane had somehow been replaced by a particularly oversized white tiger. It's paws had massive steel claws on each toe and it's tail had vicious blades arranged around the end. It's body was five feet high to it's shoulders.  
  
A bluish aura surrounded it, and the eyes of the beast were calculating, intelligent. Tiffa showed it no fear, and kept her blade at the ready.  
  
"Looks like we've found number one of three..." Xen spoke, his voice revealing to the cat that she had enemies on both sides.  
  
Tiffa nodded, "You're coming with us. We need your help."  
  
The cat's body shifted back, it's steely gaze turning to a mere sky hue. Ayane, in her catgirl form, looked at Tiffa with curiousity, but it was clear her anger had not completely faded.  
  
The trees around them became silent as the three warriors stood in silence, awaiting for the next to speak.  
  
"Okay," Ayane said, "My name is Ayane, and I guess I can go with ya. I mean, why not?"  
  
Both of the others raised eyebrows appropriately, xenSity speaking with his usual wisdom, "Wha?"  
  
"Don't misread me, I don't go wandering off with anyone that comes along, I'm just particularly bored nowadays and you guys seem like fun." Surprising xenSity, but Tiffa understood.  
  
"Yes..." Tiffa grinned, "But can you dance?" Tiffa snapped her fingers in the air, moving her legs in a small dance. Her humor further shocking Xen, but Ayane merely laughed.  
  
They set up camp there, and xenSity gathered firewood while the girls waited at camp. Tiffa told Ayane the story so far:  
  
[-Vicious suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She attacked him, but he remained polite and mysterious, a familiar trait for her. How she came to know he had been hunting Tiffa's former love and his disciples. Just how exactly Din's plan went, and went wrong. All the things they went through together before the final relevation and the end of the mystery of the warrior.  
  
Her former love had been his own hunter and even tried to unknowingly destroy their dimension, their realm. Nearly nothing could stop him, and nearly nothing was all they did. A noble robotic knight and a sweet, but naive vampiric angel died at his hands, both friends, both for his own life to be saved as well as their own.   
  
Tiffa didn't actually inform Ayane of her past with him, just that he had been her close friend from when even her closest friends abandoned her.-]  
  
Ayane listened, commenting little, and afterwards spoke loudly, "I know FDW! I met him before! He was called Vicious like you said!"  
  
Tiffa stared at her, "So... he must've remembered that little memory...that fake name...from when he knew you..."  
  
Tiffa's eye twitched and she shouted at the sky, "REMEMBERED THAT SHIT BEFORE ME!!!"  
  
"Uhhh... I guess," Ayane giggled a little, "He was funny, and nice, but a little too quiet. We had tons of adventures like yours!"  
  
Again, her eye twitched, "AND you were with some NEKO girl in some god-forsaken FOREST!"  
  
The next morning, Ayane sat alone, near camp in a tree. She was still half-asleep and remained where she had slept. XenSity walked below and looked up, "You gonna sleep ALL day? We need to get going, Tiffa's getting impatient. Apperently his suffering matters to her now."  
  
"I heard that!" Came a familiar distant voice.  
  
Xen winced, "I knew she'd hear me... damn her senses. Anyway, we need to pack up and get going."  
  
A stomach-turning growl was his only response. He raised both hands defensively, "Okay, okay, thirty minutes, then we're gone."  
  
"You know... waking up this early sucks... I kinda regret that Vicious' goal of destroying the universe didn't work out. Ah well..." She landed next to him, a very small sack hanging over her shoulder.  
  
"Uhh..." XenSity's eyes on the bag, "Don't you wanna get the rest of your stuff?"  
  
Ayane shot him a hardened glare, "This... IS my stuff."  
  
XenSity blushed slightly, realizing that she lived alone and without money. Her clothes looked tattered and worn, and definitely self-made.  
  
Tiffa brushed her hands together with a contented sigh, "Well, all the food is packed away... actually, eaten... I ate it, fed the rest to animals. The camping equipment is packed up in those tiny capsules for ya, xen. Don't know how you made those nifty packing devices, but they're damn handy."  
  
XenSity nodded, "Yeah, whatever, picked that little trick up from Trunks. He's that odd fellow with purple hair. Turns it yellow and calls himself a 'super saiyan'. He may be primitive with energy, and ignorant with magicks, but he's a scientific genius."  
  
"Oh, not that science BULL again. That crackpot stuff isn't worth listening to. If I wanted 'science' I'd go visit all the Megaman wannabes." Tiffa scoffed indignantly. 


	5. The Scythe Apears

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda... but there's not much Zelda in it... I do own all of the new characters you see here. I spank all those who oppose me!  
  
Author's Note: See, here's how it goes: YOU READ... mmhm, follow me so far? YOU REVIEW!! Got it?!  
  
The Scythe Appears  
  
Ayane dropped from the trees, landing in front of Xen and Tiffa, grinning, "So, why duncha fly?"  
  
Tiffa rolled her eyes, but xenSity replied, "If you take foot in Fanelia Forest, you can't fly as long as you're there. You brought me down here, and Tiffa had to help me. We're stuck for now."  
  
A tilt of Ayane's head caused Tiffa to walk past her and laugh, "She's just a simple beast, don't expect her to understand us."  
  
Growling, Ayane seemed to become feral all in one instant. XenSity took a step back, but Tiffa kept her back turned. Suddenly, there was a rush of air and all three were thrown to one tree, the air itself seeming to pin them there.  
  
A quiet, but cocky voice came from nowhere, "Now, where would you guys be heading?"  
  
Ayane looked enraged, like a freshly caged tiger who hasn't been fed in a month, but it was nothing to the dark aura and general 'I-Will-Murder-You' look adorning Tiffa's features.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Xen asked, "And why are you attacking us?"  
  
A cloak seemed to fall from nowhere and to the ground, similar to Vicious' cloak, this one seemed lighter and more open. It lay flat against the ground, but rose by some strange force to take a human form. It stepped forward, a man now within, "Prey... easy prey for such legendary warriors. You, xenSity of the Dark Inn, said to be by far the strongest in the region of Fanelia. The great Mad Immortal Girl, said to have rampaged across all of the worlds aside a mighty Dark God, causing chaos. And you... Ayane... you have a number of little secrets..."  
  
His monstrous laugh was enough to set Tiffa off, xenSity following her lead as usual. She kicked off the ground and out of the wind bonds. Tiffa clung to the tree upside down, crawling backwards and upward with strange speed, before flipping off the tree, and grabbed the cloaked figure around his neck with her legs, flipping him back and bringing him to the ground on his face, xenSity supporting by holding his sword to this warrior's throat.  
  
A light growl filled the air as Tiffa and Xen were blown from him. The unknown warrior rolling in the air, and catching himself with one foot, taking his ground with the other, his torn cloak falling in small pieces from his body was enough to intimidate even them.  
  
"A demonslayer?" XenSity seemed surprised, "What are you doing after us?"  
  
The man wore thin armor over his body, like scales. They guessed his weaponry was made from demonbone as usual, and his icy blue eyes seemed to show them his Village's pride. It was obvious they'd have to retreat, or fight for their lives with all they had.  
  
A katana at his belt, and thick, clothen gauntlets on his hands showed lacking in support weaponry. He didn't carry as muchweaponry as they were known to.  
  
Tiffa rose from the ground, her eyes glowing red and her fists on fire with anger, "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US?!"  
  
He stayed his stance and flipped his hair, smirking a little, "I want to tell you. When you do find all three, I will kill all... five of you. It is neccessary to my mission."  
  
"What mission? Somebody has a bounty on us?" xenSity shouted.  
  
Ayane appeared behind the demonslayer and stayed low, growling, "What is your name, hunter?"  
  
He smirked, unafraid, "I am called Scythe by my brethren, but you guys can call me... 'I want my mommy!' if you wish."  
  
"Cocky attitude... surprising ego... It's like we've found Vicious already," XenSity said in a flat tone, "So do we have a bounty or not?"  
  
"Not exactly. People just want you dead, and payed us for help. Close, but still not a bounty," Scythe smirked and he seemed to fade into the wind as a breeze blew by, even his scent gone with him.  
  
"...Freak!" They all said in unison, laughing. Ayane turned to Tiffa, "Hey! Finally, you cheer up!"  
  
Tiffa smirked, "Yeah, I'm always in a bad mood until I kick a little ass. Gotta problem?"  
  
Ayane mrowled and silently vanished into the trees above, "Almost there! Just half a mile leffffffttttttt...!"  
  
"Only half a mile?" xenSity shouted back, "I calculated three point five miles left!"  
  
"What's a mile?" Ayane asked from behind him, causing him to jump almost out of his shoes.  
  
"STOP DOING THAT!? What do you mean 'what's a mile?'? YOU'RE OUR NAVIGATOR!" XenSity seemed uncharactaristically angry.  
  
Tiffa turned to face them, a wide grin on her face, "You guys almost make me laugh. Quite an accomplishment. Stop fooling around, every minute we waste, Vicious rots somewhere."  
  
Her deep red eyes held no anger, strengely enough, but xenSity didn't seem to notice. The anger had driven him into one of his calculating and formulating trains of thought. Ayane just looked at the trees around them, no longer smiling.  
  
"I miss Vicious," She said suddenly, "When can we see him?"  
  
The other two stopped, xenSity sighing in exasperation, but Tiffa remaining silent. Xen laughed a little uncomfortably, "Didn't we tell you? We're getting a few people to join up with us, you're one of them. the other two and yourself will help us get into Hell and get him out. As a matter of fact... why am I here at all?"  
  
Tiffa shrugged and Ayane looked at him with a tilted head, "To keep us company?"  
  
"But... I have to tend to my Inn, and protect it, and... well, I have alot to do! Tiffa can handle this! I'm gone!" Before starting in the other direction.  
  
Tiffa shrugged again, now interwining all ten fingers atop her head and she started walking again, Ayane not far behind.  
  
"Why did swordboy leave?" Ayane asked Tiffa, "Was it cause of me?"  
  
"His name is xenSity, and nope, not at all. He's just like that, not into questing," She assured Ayane, barely doing more than ignoring her. Ayene didn't seem to mind, but both of them seemed distracted by that warrior, calling himself Scythe.  
  
They didn't have to go much forther before Tiffa suddenly disappeared. Ayane looked around quickly, ready for battle. The trees above her shook as she took to all fours, ready for any attacker.  
  
Laughter from above, definitely a girl, and not a shred of fear. Ayane looked to the foliage, but nothing caught her eye. Tiffa wouldn't just go down quietly, so Ayane was confident in her safety, sure that nobody would attack. She took the most appealing path open to her: upwards.  
  
Two jumps and she was at the top of the tallest nearby tree, looking around, but still seeing nothing of Tiffa.  
  
"Swordgirl! Where'd you go?!" Ayane pawed at air, genuinely concerned. Suddenly, more laugher, from behind. Ayane had no time to turn before she was nearly knocked from her perch by a large flying object, the source of the laughter. Tiffa went zooming by at impressive speeds, a smile on her lips.  
  
"Whoo-hoooooo!" She shreiked, "I missed this SO much! I'm never going to that forest again!"  
  
Ayane laughed now, relieved by Tiffa's safety. Dispite that they had just met, she felt as if she had to protect her new friend. Tiffa was mean on the outside, but she was a really good person in general. Ayane had not had many friends in recent years, with the exception of Vicious, so she was grateful for anything she could get.  
  
Tiffa couldn't stop grinning, this was the only release she'd had since Vicious/Kevin became a part of her life again. She was constantly worried about him, because of his friendly nature and openness, he always seemed to be getting burned. Now, after being free from the magical bind of the forest, she could let loose some of her power and feel free.  
  
A powerful feeling of warmth filled her, but then was replaced by a strange sadness and guilt. She felt bad for being this free while her friend was burning in the worst torment this dimension could provide. She sighed and came to a stop a few feet away from the neko girl, arms limp to her sides.  
  
Ayane looked over and wondered what was wrong with her newest friend. Slowly, she slid down her tree until she was closer to the tree Tiffa hovered over, and climbed up that, coming up next to Tiffa.  
  
"What's wrong, swordgirl?" She asked curiously, her forepaw lifting and moving to rest on Tiffa's right shoulder.  
  
Tiffa's garments, a simple tight black t-shirt and short jeans that hugged her figure close, but only reached half past her calves, burned away, a black sweater and a long, dark grey skirt replacing them. Her look changed a little, her features somewhat more frightening, but not much changed.  
  
"Swordgirl... Hmph." She spoke in a dark tone, "Would you mind calling me Hallia instead?"  
  
Tiffa reached over her own shoulder and rested her own hand on Ayane's. Laughing quietly, with a smirk on her lips, she mouthed the words, "I won't kill her... not yet..." 


	6. Battousai

Forget it. No Disclaimer. It's boring and nobody listens or cares anyway. I continue to say you suck, learn to review. Remember I am the person Vicious was based upon, named thus by my friends. I will hunt you down like dogs and relish in the fact that you will be fed to wild animals while your family fornicates with that very animal and I laugh at your pain.sorry, writer's block puts me in a bad mood.  
  
Pain  
  
No sound. No movement. The land seems dead. It is as if everybody living there had vanished in an instant, leaving everything behind and their homes in ruin. The young samurai wandered his homeland, his katana at his side and his kimono dragging against the charred earth. With a sigh, he gave up searching, finally giving into the fact that Sutherland had been annihilated in his absence.  
  
The utter lack of humanity and demolished buildings disturbed him near to a point of tears. This vicious assault was something only a genocidal god could have accomplished. Sorrow filled his heart and he came to a halt by the rubble of a very large building, surrounded in the ruins of outer walls. His eyes fleetingly scanned the area for life, a vain attempt at hope.  
  
From the silence came a thin rasp of breath, which only one trained as he could have attempted to hear. In one great leap, he landed weightlessly on a large rock, nearest the sound, but not near enough to endanger it's life. The samurai carefully removed as much pieces of debris as possible, finally coming across the charred but alive body of a girl. Tears immediatly streaming down his cheeks, he was beside her, trying to nurse her wounds.  
  
Her breath short and failing, she tried her hardest to get his attention on her words with brief hand gestures. He leaned closer to her, "What is it? Are you trying to tell me something?"  
  
"He... Father... He told the cloaked man where the gap was... Father said you would come back soon... you would protect-" Her breathing stopped. Her eyelids were gone, likely burned away in the blast, but he knew they no longer contained life. This samurai wrapped his arms around her burned, naked body, crying into her shoulder.  
  
Sobbing, but anger rising in his voice, he said to his wife, "Don't worry, Yulie, I will avange your death. Even if it means killing, nothing can stop me from bringing this 'cloaked man' to his death!"  
  
Black hair moving in the wind was all she could see. Ayane laughed as she flew, latched tightly around Hallia from behind. The feeling of flight was totally new to her, nothing like she expected.  
  
The beginning of the flight was simple. Hallia grabbed Ayane by a wrist, tosses her into the air, came after her and caught her on her back. It had been like that since. Hallia was quiet, still not saying a word to Ayane, but remaining peaceful. Her simple clothing and lack of weaponry was quite different from when Ayane had met her, but not much of a shock, since they had just met.  
  
A feeling of kinship was devoloping for Ayane, her feline instinct for rivalry not changing her warm personality. Something about the way Tiffa, or Hallia, was totally comfortable with everything, almost cocky, was a warm comfort for Ayane. The beginning of this friendship would be the easiest part.  
  
Totally unknown to Ayane, Hallia was thinking something quite different. She planned on using Ayane and the other two to free Vicious, so that she may use him to his full destructive potential for her usual pleasures of mass suffering. She laughed suddenly, the cruelty scaring Ayane slightly, but overall Ayane believed it to be in joy of this wonderful flight.  
  
Long, red hair in a ponytail and a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. High Knight Deften recognized this description to be that of the infamous samurai named Seikensu Hiten. Also known to every country in this realm as Battousai the Manslayer. Godlike speed and the ability to identify and predict any enemy's style and moves were his leading traits. Last Deften had heard this description, it was to tell him that the Battousai had a wife and was seen being wed to her.  
  
His entire knighthood had a celebration in honor of the fact that Seikensu seemed to have forsworn killing for his new wife. But this news that he had roughed up a few drunks in search of someone had not surprised him. Deften knew that Sutherland, the Battousai's home, had been destroyed, wife included. Deften sighed because he also knew that Seikensu's true fury was yet to be unleashed.  
  
The High Knight left his chambers and went outside for fresh air and to clear his thoughts. The calm, cloudy sky soothed him for a moment as he breathed deep this fresh air.  
  
The knight had his sword drawn and ready as he sensed someone behind him. He didn't turn yet, knowing that he was in the hands of this hostile-feeling presence. Deften was quite experienced in every kind of battle and all sorts of assassinations, and he knew that turning around right now would provoke the stranger to act.  
  
"No need to worry," Spoke the calm, clear voice of a young man, "I won't hurt you. I've come here only for information. Have you heard much about a 'cloaked man' with destructive powers?"  
  
Deften turned, his longsword still ready by his side. Slowly, he came to face with a figure once in his nightmares; Seikensu Hiten, the manslayer by the name of Battousai. Deften's sword dropped to the ground; Useless.  
  
"Y-yes. On my desk in the room behind you. Under the report about sightings of... U-under the first report. The man was seen near the home of a Shadow-Demon. After he left, the nearby village was no longer attacked by it. He may have killed it, or taken it away. Either way- We have no idea where he could be now," Spoke the halfway stuttering High Knight in full Mythril Armor.  
  
With a word of thanks and an impressive disappearing act, Seikensu left with the reports, including the first one, about his recent actions. High Knight Deften fell to his knees, breathing deeply and trying to calm down his mile-a-minute heartrate. He had a bad feeling about the strange looks in the Battousai's eyes. It was as if his soul had been torn away. Deften finally calmed down and went back inside for a nightcap.  
  
Laying across the red-hot earth, surrounded in flames, bound by glowing blue chains, was a man with burning red eyes and sweat covering his whole body. Screaming in agony as the struggle went on. His soul was being torn to pieces very slowly in the depths of hell. Ifrit, the fire god himself, stood at this man's feet.  
  
"Stop struggling, boy" Came his rumbling voice, "Your efforts are wasted. All the power that could save you is gone. You gave it back to Charantanatah and all you are now is a worthless appirition. A human copy of a god. May as well be a child. But even so, I love seeing your face in agony, the very same face that gave me this hideous body and laughed at me from the shadows for centuries."  
  
His once jet black hair was covered in soil and half-burned away. He was a wreck of his once handsome self that he had been only days ago. To him it seemed and eternity already. Stitches kept his mouth sown shut so that he couldn't pull any of his old tricks or use any incantaions. He was trapped and as far as he knew, it was forever. 


	7. The Iron Hand and Negotiations

Note: Where have all my reader's gone? Oh yeah, I never had any. Oh well. I hope you phantom readers enjoy. I'm not looking for any reviews anymore, I just like writing. Now to the story!   
  
The Iron Hand and Negotiations  
  
Hallia let Ayane drop to the ground as they both landed and seperated. Their first task was to find this 'Iron Hand with a Delicate Touch'. Hallia immediately went off towards the blacksmith's shop, which wasn't hard considering it could be heard from a good deal of distance. Metallurgy is a very loud practice.  
  
Ayane, on the other hand, left the work to Hallia and exitedly cannonballed into the fountain in the town center. Her ears were down and her lips were parted as she chased an imaginary prey through the shallow waters. The water coming from a pipe in the middle sprayed into the air and into the stillwater in which Ayane played.  
  
Hallia found only large, sweaty men working over several very hot furnaces, many using large hammers to bend heated metals. Her ears rang with the loud noises of this hectic shop. Dispite her hair over her eyes, true to her style, she clearly observed that there was no man here with potential of a 'delicate touch'.  
  
With a sigh she took a step back and turned to go. Disappointed as she was, she would not stop looking until the objective was found. Her own powers to destroy were simply not enough anymore, not against these days new heroes, skills shined to perfection just for the old plagues of destruction that once ruled that world.  
  
The girl she bumped into fell back, but dug her boot's heel into the dirt and kept the ground she could. Hallia felt no impact on the other hand, her own body protected against little nuicances like this. This girl quickly bowed and muttered her apologies before rushing into the shop, tattered loose clothes blowing in the wind as she ran.  
  
Hallia froze as she watched the girl run. Gloved hands. Dirty clothes. Welcome glances from the many men working in the smithy's shop. This must be it, she thought, my goal. Hallia knew this was the Iron Hand. It had to be.  
  
"Hey Darigan! Sorry I'm late!" Came a laughing voice that indicated that she was younger than she looked. Too young. Damn, this couldn't be it.  
  
A tall boy, about sixteen years of age drew his upper body out of a furnace. Hallia had not seen him before, and was surprised by his appearance. His white hair was dark with soot. She almost laughed that he was unhurt, after having literally hand-crafting a sword in the midst of that tremendous heat. Bronze-colored skin, like a tan, was gleaming as he disapprovingly watched his little sister run to him. He grabbed her by the waist as she reached him, having tossed the red-hot metal into a barrel of water.  
  
Lifting her into the air and placing her halfway up a ladder, he got to telling her off, "Ya'know Kat, you can't be late all the time if you really want to get a job. Punctuality is very important in this business. Arnold had to pour the iron into the tin. You know that was your job today. You put him three hours behind his own schedule, and you almost ruined the entire batch, wasting a good deal of resources."  
  
She simply smiled and clapped her hands, not a care for his words, "You're fooling yourself if you think I'm dumb enough to listen to that! Haha, Arnold wasn't even in town today! You sent him for copper wires Tuesday."  
  
He just growled and turned his head, "Okay, fine, I made it up. But you were almost too late to mix it! Really you should get your timing right."  
  
"Almost is almost. I wasn't late. But I will be if you keep lecturing me." Kat jumped off the ladder and walked arround him and through the others to a large iron pot sitting next to another pot which was hooked up to a wheel and pulley system that was simple, but obviously able to pour the bigger pot into the smaller one with precision. One chain ran through it to time all the pulleys in synchronized order.  
  
Hallia crossed her arms, her upper lip twitching slightly. Thinking to herself, 'Okay, it'll be hard to get him to leave his job and sister, especially if I need him to willingly come along...'  
  
The girl pulled a lever beside the larger pot, then quickly rushed to the small one as it started to raise into the air. Hallia could see waves of heat above it, guessing that it was a vat of molten iron. Apperently the pot could take the heat of the liquid metal without melting, obviously a kind of special tempering.  
  
Calmly, Hallia took a seat on a wooden chest, likely a toolbox. Eyes locking on the boy, she began to take mental notes and figure out how she could get him to cooperate.  
  
Kat watched the metals mix as a younger apprentice stoked the fire beneath the massive cauldron. Her cerulean eyes seemed full of excitement and let her young beauty shine dispite her choice clothing. Her brother was at work fastening the large sword onto it's handle, sliding the metal bar at it's base into the handle's ready socket.  
  
Eyes like hot coals were focused on the task at hand. Red they seemed by the surrounding light of the smithy's many fires, but they were the simple brown of earth. Hallia tended to take notice of these details. When she had a target, it always worked out for the best that way.  
  
With the skill of a swordsman he grabbed an appropriately sized sheath from a stack near the small building at the center of the work and slid the fresh blade in, somehow cooled since it's conception. His eyes immediately flashed over to the mysterious girl wearing dark garbs, sitting on the whole shop's food reserves.  
  
"Hey," He spoke loudly to her as he approached, edging no response, "Your sitting on our lunches lady. Mind getting off and telling me your business with my shop?"  
  
A slight smirk was all Hallia gave him, before heaving a sigh and remaining silent. Her fingers intertwined over her lap and her hair concealed her features.  
  
"My brother asked you a question, lady!" Came his sister's harping voice, but Hallia paid it no mind.  
  
She did, on the other hand, finally speak. Smirk fading, she spoke clearly but with an amused undertone, "I came here to ask your help. My dear friend is in trouble and I'm looking for people who can help me."  
  
Putting on her best 'damsel in distress' imitation, she continued, "I need your help! He's really in trouble, and nobody else can help."  
  
"Okay, calm down now. We should get to someplace quieter and talk about this." His face became much calmer as he got closer to her, trying to calm her as well, "Five hours from now I'm off work. Can you meet me in the middle of town then? I mean, can it wait that long?"  
  
Her act dropped and her smirk grew, "Thank you so much. I'll see you then, I guess." Walking away almost with a skip in her step, but her looks leaving a few of the workers distracted.  
  
Darigan gave a shout, "Hey guys, get your mind out of the gutter and back to work, we got alot to do, the big order is due tomorrow!"  
  
"Okay, let me get this straight." Darigan and his sister were sitting on the other side of a campfire from Hallia and Ayane. They had come from the town center after some introductions at dusk. Ayane was very glad to meet new friends, while Hallia wanted to get down to business.  
  
"Your friend, this Vishuss, is in hell and you need me and this... girl to save him," Darigan smirked as he said the name with emphasis, but Ayane happily corrected him, "-Vicious-"  
  
Laughing at her upbeat attitude, and ignoring her obvious lack of concern for his sarcasm, "How exactly can me, her, and some blade get into hell and safely save a damned soul? Assuming I do agree to go and waste a great deal of valuable time on some adventure."  
  
Hallia shrugged and turned her head away from the fire, away from the others, and said quietly, "I'm not sure, but someone told me you guys could and I just have to trust him."  
  
"Okay, then who is this guy? He says he knows we can do it. I mean, we must know him somehow." Darigan looked half-interested by this point, his sister, on the other hand, was listening very intently.  
  
"My brother can help you save your friend, with the help of the other two, but if he did he'd be leaving the shop untended and with a massive loss of manpower," she said concerned, her eyes on the strange catgirl who was grooming herself, "And on top of that, you'd be putting him in alot of danger, going to a place like that to start trouble."  
  
Half-smirking, she whispered just loud enough to hear, "I need to sleep for a bit, we can talk more in the morning. My friend and I will be here tonight and tomorrow. I hope you can help me. See you then." 


	8. Moving Forward

Witty comment, blah blah blah. Just sit back, peel your eyelids back, and pay attention. Not a difficult task, even for you guys.  
  
Moving Forward  
  
Ayane hung from a tree by her knees. Swinging slightly as she hummed to herself, she waited for Darigan and his sister to show up. Ayane hadn't seen Hallia all day, and wasn't worried at all.  
  
She let her hair hang and pawed at the air, her tanned face in an innocent grin. The camp they'd set up the night before was less than twenty yards away, both tents still set up and open. Embers from the night's fire still hot but definitely dying.   
  
The silence was broken by a fierce, high-pitched screech and Ayane slipped from the branch and fell on her face. A girl quickly rushed to her petting her like a kitten and cooing, "So cute!"  
  
Ayane was definitely confused, and besides that, struggling for air. The girl screeched in excitement because of her, and was now hugging her so tight it bordered on painful.  
  
A feline's screech filled the air and the small girl was thrown off of Ayane in a panicky flurry. Kat found her feet in the air and took a sloppy grip on the dirt, stopping the rollout she was about to end up in.  
  
Kat quickly shook her head and regained her balance, still smiling a little. With a sigh, she crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knees and said, "So, where's that other girl, huh?"  
  
Ayane quirked an eyebrow and shrugged in an indifferent manner. She didn't seem concerned with that, but she did mention, "She was gone when I got up, but I'm pretty sure she didn't go far..."  
  
"Well, that's good," Came a voice from behind Kat, just before Darigan stepped out from behind a tree and approached swiftly. Quickly he sat beside his sister and smiled warmly, "When do you think she'll be back?"  
  
"In a little while..." came the voice of the person in question as she took her own seat between Darigan and Ayane.  
  
The three who were speaking before she arrived had a little trouble talking now, feeling very uneasy about her sudden appearance. But she calmly resumed the conversation alone, "And when she does get back, we should all remember that she's in a hurry, so sitting around like this won't help her at all."  
  
Darigan cracked a smile and laughed a little under his breath, "Sneaky, very sneaky. I can see this trip won't be boring me much at all. I've decided to go along, after all. The order was filled today and it looks like the season for our work is past it's prime this year. Not much work left for me for a while. I guess I have the time to go along."  
  
As he spoke, Hallia noticed that he was wearing a rather thick, large cloak, with a backback stuffed to the brim over his shoulder, slinged tight for a long journey.  
  
Hallia cleared her throat and smiled as sweetly as she could, "Thank you for so graciously giving your help, I promise you'll get your reward as soon as he's safe and out of harm's-"  
  
"You didn't let me finish..." He interjected with an amused tone, "I want to know every minute detail about this quest, and be included on all the information from this point forward."  
  
Hallia looked as if she had been struck, but quickly regained her composure, "Of course, I mean, that's the least I could offer for now." growling under her voice, "And I'll be glad to tell you all about it on the way, but we must leave well before noon, otherwise I fear the worst may happen to him."  
  
He nodded understandingly, but his sister had her eyes focused on Hallia in a way that might frighten most others. She didn't look so sure about her brother's decision. Not like she could argue...  
  
As quickly as they arrived, they left the rather large village. Darigan gave his goodbyes to all of his friends and family, a goodbye kiss to his dear mother, and a long hug for his sister before joining the two girls on the western path out of town.  
  
"So why all the heavy gear?" The furrier of his companions asked, tilting her head as she walked beside him, looking up at his face.  
  
Smiling forward, his eyes on the blue sky just above the horizon, "I like to be ready for any surprises. Cat burglers included. But anyway, where are you from, why are you going?"  
  
Ayane looked to the ground, thinking for a moment, "I'm from Fanelia... kind of. I came with Hallia because she asked me to. Not many reasons not to, I'm mostly bored and hungry at home anyway. Change is good, I guess. Plus, I thought the guy she was with was kinda cute." Giggling and blushing, she fell silent.  
  
He laughed heartily, seeming for a moment even larger than he really was. This Iron Hand and Beauty within a Beast were getting along very quickly. Hallia observed this fact from not ten feet behind them, walking in pace but keeping good distance.  
  
Their fellowship may even help the plans set in motion by the mortal goddess who walked at their heels. Hallia's smile was not one of hope, but of vengeance and triumph. Perhaps, even the dark grin of evil...  
  
As they sat by a very sizeable Oak tree, Darigan lost his patience with their quiet benefactor, "So, now can you tell me about our goals and enemies? I can't go any further in ignorance. As far as I know, you just want me and her to help you get your ex-boyfriend back for you."  
  
Hallia remained standing, crossing her arms and looking at them both with an uplifted eyebrow. She shrugged and smiled, "I guess you deserve to know by now, both of you."  
  
Winds blew by for a moment as Hallia gathered her thoughts. A quiet gaze towards the shadows beneath the sun's shine and the young woman spoke softly, "Vicious killed two people a few days ago. Then he found his way to his death. Now he suffers in hell because of a sick cosmic joke.It was a mistake! You were right when you said ex-boyfriend, but we're just friends now. And I want my friend back. He's in more pain than we know about, and I don't like that!"  
  
Darigan perked up with her emotions expressed, as she secretly hides the pleasant feeling that she'd now succeeded. Ayane grumbling as she works the braids the young girl had secretly and quickly slipping into the catgirl's soft hair, shrugging in a mild agreement.  
  
The young man smiles softly and walks to Hallia. Bowing his head respectfully before walking past her down the path which they followed almost randomly, his eyes ahead and strong as the two now followed the empassioned young man.  
  
Calmly and with a little nodding of his head as he drifted to sleep, xen sits in his seat behind the desk at his inn. Not much business was coming in since he got back, but he didn't mind. He was only back a day so far. The caretaker he left in charge gone before time was up. Xen would have to have a word with him about that when he got the chance, he noted mentally.  
  
Then, the door creaked slowly open. A man in loose red garbs stepped into the large room. Xen snapped to attention as the young samurai approached the desk at which he was resting in. Rising to his feet, xen asked what he usually did, "How may I help you...?"  
  
With a quiet, gentle but firm voice, the red-haired man spoke slowly, "One room.. only as much space as I need... and I heard that the innkeeper here carries news about most anything.. I'm sure that would be you, correct?"   
  
"Er... I guess so. I am the innkeeper here, but I don't promise you any answers." shrugging a little and walking around the front desk, "I'll arrange your quarters, now what is your name..?"  
  
"I am Seikensu Hiten.."  
  
Since Hallia was not leading, she was wondering where Darigan was leading her. She did not fear, for her guide had said that the keys will find eachother. Simply sighing a little, her plan nearly complete, it seemed.  
  
Ayane ever-relenting in her sidequests for thrills, coming back with a squirrel tail hanging from her lips, slurped up like a string of speghetti. Hallia didn't seem to notice, but Darigan turned slightly green as he passed the hyperactive neko.  
  
All three froze at once, Ayane's ears perking, Hallia's upper lip twitching, and one of Darigan's hand in his cloak at an instant's notice. Nothing seemed amiss by most senses, but the trio had a feel that something was off in the air around them. Something stank of blood. 


	9. Hellish

I state no ownership over any of the characters portrayed in this fic. Vicious is my creation, and my personality in general, as all my characters are based on real friends of mine. I'd also like to say... "LOVE AND PEACE! corny peace sign" ...and with that, I give you Chapter Nine.  
  
Hellish  
  
As flames curled upwards, pillars of fire escalated into what seemed the eternity above him. A man with long, greasy black hair, tired brown eyes, and blistered hands finally sat down after two straight weeks of hard labor. A landscape of hot coal beneath him, his flesh had been seared again and again as it slowly healed only to be renewed and burned away once more. Without sunlight or moon, he had lost track of the days and sleepless nights.  
  
A smirk crept across his face, even as he was whipped back to his feet and forced to resume carrying water towards an ever-evaporating bin, supposedly trying to refill it. Again, he found it empty and dumped the little bit he had left from his trip into the barren iron pot. Nearly laughing at the obscure memories that seemed gone already, along with his mind. The whips that lashed at him, making new scars against the bare flesh, seemed to have no effect on this strange one. Others screaming, dropping on their hands and knees around him, even after a century of the same treatment.  
  
This was Hell, but not the hell that he had once feared the most. Working for two solid weeks left his body near death, but his mind was gone from the torture he had endured right from the beginning. The demons around him had a personal grudge against him, but for what he could only guess. The tattered pants he wore were his only garment, and they never once protected him from harm nor pain. He was alone, to the elements that perversed his mind endlessly.  
  
A rather petite female lashed a bullwhip around his throat and pulled him close to her easily. Taking his bucket, bare of any fluid, and broke it against the stone beneath, "Look what you have done! Clean that up and find a new bucket!" before pulling the bullwhip from him and leaving a deep gash around his neck.   
  
Silently, and with a blank stare in no direction, he did as he was told. She watched with content as he gathered the shards of strange metal and walked away to dispose of it in one of the many pits of magma.   
  
This man frustrated them as well as entertained them. Sometimes, he would not respond at all, but the demons had seen him crying sometimes, while even he did not notice his tears dripping and sizzling out of sight before impact with the red earth.  
  
He had no remorse for whatever he felt he had done, felt no wrong in all that had happened. Although he didn't know exactly what had happened, he still didn't care for other's unwanted opinions. All this torn man knew was that he was told to get a new bucket, and that is what he intended to do.  
  
As some torn skin fell from his throat, he would simply leave it to cook against the ground, just as the flats of his feet would. Blood dripping down his shoulders, back, and chest, he looked like a smoky ghost. He dropped the armful of shards into the magma, instantly making them one, melding them. Turning away, he met face with the woman demon, holding a bucket brimming with cool water. Even with human senses, he could smell the purity of the water, the crisp cold even in this place.   
  
Distracted as he was, he didn't care when her slender form moved against his, slipping one arm over his shoulders and around the torn neck, touching but causing no noticeable pain. Calmly, she let him sip from the edge of the pail and never let it tip enough for him to get a good drink. Pulling the bucket away, she forced a kiss on his cracked lips and felt a whimper for the water that left him, to be replaced by a fiery kiss, singing his just moistened lips. She paid no mind, and licked his lips as they parted, winking to him and turning the bucket upside down over his head.  
  
His body felt cool for an instant, before his skin seemed afire as every drop boiled away in the intense heat around them, right against his skin. She held his hand and pulled him away from a pair of approaching demons, like small gorillas with massive claws adorning their fingertips, and red hair all over.  
  
Not caring any longer as she pulled him into a dark corner and pressed her mouth once more against his skin, burning it again as she pulled him deeper until there was no light to see by. His eyes finally closed and he fell into the darkness of sleep, as she grinned, still kissing, an icy hint in her eyes with mischief in their wake.  
  
When he awoke, the only sign he was concious was that his pulse quickened slightly and his eyes slowly drifted open. The former guided the woman back into his presence.   
  
All around him, there were spires of ice from every few feet of ceiling space and floorspace, varying dramatically in size between each one. Where he lay, though, was a soft, sky-blue colored bed. Just as the demon woman stepped into his possible view he sat up and looked at her. Eyes as dead as any victim she'd held in her time, but more delving and piercing than any lover who had held her.  
  
As she moved gracefully slower, her skin began to resemble the ice around it. Her flesh shimmering slightly as it refracted every bit of light and left her looking like frosty glass. Pale flesh made a bluish hue as she knelt beside him. His cold hazel eyes meeting with hers, he said and did exactly what he was thinking: Nothing.  
  
Pushing him slowly onto his back as she laid kisses unto his lips and chin softly over and over until he was pressed agaisnt the warm matress beneath. Straddling his hips, one cold hand against his bare chest, she spoke in a calm and wistful manner, "My dear... You are quite a strange one. I know you desire the company of women, and yet you make no move to edge me further." Her other hand's fingers dug into his gut a little, angrily so, "Is it that you do not find me attractive..." tilting her head as she licked a frozen touch slowly benetah his chin, "No, I can feel your lust for me... you're simply mindless, aren't you?"  
  
A chilling laugh, more chilling even than the frozen water in all directions. Her wit amused her as much as it displeased her. Fingertips turning to claws and drawing blood from him. Just as it dripped down his belly, she stood over him, licking the hot blood from each finger. He stared up at her with no wonder or concern, but a dead gaze. She growled and walked away, just as the wind seemed to bite at his skin and lift him to his feet.  
  
He began work for the unseeable demons that pushed him around in his icy prison, forcing him to harvest the dungeon of it's ice at their beckon, but always there were two where he had used much energy to remove one. The entire lair quickly overpopulated by the frozen forms.  
  
Eventually, he grew weary and fell back, leaning against an icy spire and working no more. Even as whips of biting wind lashed him enough to bleed, he would move no more.  
  
Thinking him dead, one trollish form appeared from the breeze and wrapped clawed fingers around his ankles and begun to drag him. One flick of a delicate wrist and the beast shattered, the woman looking down to the man with such an ugly, scarred body, before leaving him again, a sheet of frost in the form of a scarf hanging from her shoulder.  
  
Sleeping soundlessly as the breezes faded to silence and left him to shiver as he drifted into dreams of such mindless chaos as they made not enough sense to disturb any man at all. Every wound closed in the rest he took, air around him nurturing him and readying him to recieve more pain without breaking. Each scar that much worse for the speed at which it was forced to heal. Dried blood cracked against him, reopening wounds but the blood freezing just as it left his body. Icy tears stopped just as they reached his cheeks, he cried without a sob as he slept alone in the biting but steady air.  
  
Sure enough, he awoke to a lash of pain on his chest. Without a protest, he stood to his full height of six feet and used both fists to rub the ice shards from his lashes. A quiet mumble from his lips with no sense to it whatsoever, he set out to the whisper's of the winds and took a pickaxe from the air.  
  
With a single swing, he broke one shard down the middle. A simple crack and nothing more. A second one left no damage whatsoever. Feet blue with cold, just as his hands were, he labored on to fulfill the wishes of the only voice he could understand anymore, the commanding one.  
  
Every hour ticked on with more and more tedious and pointless tasks. None with end, but every time a demon got bored with him, a lash told him to move on to the next chore. The more he worked, the less he cared. Not caring that he could not die, but suffering through so many deaths without an end to any life at all. The pain was overwhelming his body, causing tremors deep in his bones, but he ached onwards, he toiled his body and soul to the very core for meaningless work.  
  
After a week, the man was paler than any ghost, weaker than any child, and without much lungs to breathe with. He was frozen deep inside so his heart sometimes forgot to beat. The demons had joined others in tormenting more interesting spirits. No more tears fell from this man. And just as he lay to let himself sleep, the ice woman came again, from amidst the shards around him.  
  
A whisper of a seductive voice made one eyelid twitch, but no more reaction than familiarity. His muscles were no longer good enough to be called mortal. Her voice could freeze hearts, but his already was frozen. Yet she spoke as if to warm him, "My lovely diamond, you have grown to be no more than a corpse.." crouching beside him in a long luminescent blue dress, knees bent to the side as her slender hands rested on them, "What shall I do with you.."  
  
With a flinch of pain, he sat up, bruises and scrapes all looking like a fetid rot on his body. With a haggard voice, he spoke, "Food.. Water..." looking at her with weary, half-mast eyes without an ounce of hope or weakness, nor any strength within. He simply told her what his body craved like most would go mad over. He was too far gone in his mind to truly bother with his hungers.  
  
Her laugh. The chilling laugh. Still haunting some men's nightmares. It rang against the crackling ice as she looked upwards, "Ah, my love. You are so simple! I do think I may have something for you. Of course, when you are better, I will take my debt back thrice."  
  
A slight nod told her no more than that he had heard her. No answer in the blank eyes, no shine of hatred, or kindness, nor even life. She took this as a yes and grasped his hand. Weighing hardly more than a feather, she dragged him up to his feet. As he somehow stood on his own, she seemed to glide away, his feet following steadily in her wake.  
  
Like OMG! It's an ice woman! She took him from the fires into the ice. Did I say OMG? Someone... shoot me. Wait til this story's done, take me out back, and shoot me. But anyway, tell me what you think. I really liked this one, did it while I had no net. Must upload this one with chapter 8. 


	10. Frozen Lips

Despite the placement in Zelda, the only Zelda thing about it is the way I move the plot. More sadistic than Zelda as well. Purely OC, so no complaints or questions about Link or any of them. And since I HAD to mention it, I now say I own no part of Zelda, unlike Nintendo.  
  
Frozen Lips  
  
Out of the mist, he finally caught sight of a spectular palace of ice. Every tower seemed to let off fog in all directions. Just as his mind wandered to the castle, the woman of frost herself noticed and growled.  
  
"Stop staring and come with me!" She said in an impatient manner, smirking slightly in pride for her castle. Her beckon needed no more, for he was already by her side, eyes cast downwards towards bleeding feet and drops of blood from his many present wounds.  
  
She turned and led him onwards, into the front hall of her great castle. Every wall was lined with portraits of her through the many ages. They all were her, but in garbs of the passing centuries. She hardly took notice, and even averted her eyes. It was evident she died a little between every picture. Now she seemed a beautiful monster in comparison to the beauty of ice in the earlier paintings.  
  
He had not seen more than glimpses, his head still hung low as to keep himself from moving against her will again.  
  
Stepping from the main hall into a vast dining room. Many tables lined the walls, but a beautiful long one was covered in food, parallel to them. Frozen fruits and desserts all over. Nothing warm about the food, but there was enough to sustain any man for a great deal of time. At the smell of these things, he lifted his head, but did no more.  
  
She smiled in satisfaction, proud again of herself for such useful servants. Turning her head to him, leaning close to his ear, "Eat what you like, but the more you eat, is the more I take from you times three." grinning a little before shoving him a step closer to the food.  
  
He took no more in than what he was permitted to eat. Without hesitation, he jumped up onto the table, hunched like an animal, and gorging himself with his bare hands. Forcing one bite past the other as he ingested all sorts of cold foods, some shrimps and all kinds of fruits to satisfy him.  
  
Within an hour, he fell to the floor, onto his back. Eyes blank again, lost the slight spark of hunger he had only just given up. Frosty eyes lorded over him, her feet just above the top of his head. A hand on her hip, and another running through navy locks, she laughed, "And for all that, I will clean you up and enjoy my reward.."  
  
The feeling would not go away. Hallia looked unnerved but spoke even less than the usual mutter or remark. Darigan didn't mind the quiet, further working alone, leaned up against the far side of the nearest large tree. Coat folded beside him, bulging muscles glistened slightly under the hot sun. He had worn a sleeveless white shirt beneath the heavy brown cloak.  
  
Ayane as bare as any day, lurking among the branches above, her jade eyes having faded from their former turquoise hue. She was stalking a sweet-sounding bluejay among the trees. Well fed already, she was playing with it. The bounty these days for her food was kind to her.  
  
None of them could shake the feeling. The feeling that something wanted them dead and could bring that death if it could only find them. It felt so near, it was as if breath was beating down the backs of their necks. Torture perhaps, but they went along as if it were nothing.  
  
"Hey Hallia.. This third key, you think it's going to be a person like me, or uh.. like Ayane... or what?" Darigan said as he slipped a newly crafted object into one of the many inner pockets of his jacket.  
  
With a shrug and a nonchalant gaze to the side, she leaned against the opposite side of the tree with arms crossed, "Can't be sure, but anything that fits the profile is coming with us." Looking unsure a moment before shaking her head, "That is, if it wants to."  
  
He laughed quietly, nodding a bit before lifting the jacket and standing upright. With a shrug, he stepped away from the tree, "We better head out then, never know when we might get attacked or if we miss this 'blade' for waiting."  
  
And without another breath to be drawn, Ayane dropped from the trees in front of him, a feather dropping from her lips before a quiet burp, "Hee hee... Yeah, let's go!" pumping a fist into the air before turning and bounding away on all fours, Hallia silent as she followed along.  
  
Hallia's dark clothes shifted, changing as she walked so she wore loose-fitting pants and a short-sleeved shirt, both black as night, heavy boots only heavier now and long hair shortening down to only reach her shoulders.  
  
"I'm sorry I couldn't help more, Master Hiten, but I don't know much about that cloaked man," Xen lied calmly, not wanting to send any men after Vicious, even if Vicious was out of reach.  
  
The young man bowed at the waist, his left hand grasping the sword that hung near it. His lax blue eyes betrayed no more than calm acceptance, "I thank you anyway. Sleep well, Sir xen."  
  
Xen bowed his head in return before gesturing to the stairwell, "Goodnight. I'll be up in the morning, if you'd like breakfast with your stay," xen said in a concerned manner, voice dropping to a lower tone with his offer. Turning his back to the samurai and walking towards his own quarters, he let a frown invade his features.   
  
Xen had believed revenge to be important. To honor your loved ones and to keep peace of mind. But he believed in his loyalty to FDW. Old friends are more important than revenge. As he nodded to himself, still unsure, he blew his candle out and settled into bed, closing his eyes as the night's sounds began.  
  
Seikensu did not sleep right away. First, he took a deep breath, shrugging his robes off and leaving him in a thin and loose white shirt. The folds were perfectly clean, pure as his thoughts. Secondly, He undid the tie that held his sword to his waist. Slowly bending his knees, his right hand holding the sheath to the floor. He knelt down on both knees with oceanic eyes concealed tightly underneath their lids.  
  
His left hand moved in one swift motion to his belt and the sash around his waist was loose and undone. The hand then took hold with the other onto his sword. With a quiet breath, he stood again, bereft of all clothing but a small cotton undergarment. Stepping out of his clothes, he had turned and began folding them, depositing them next to his bed as the sword lay rest agaisnt the side of the bed.  
  
Kneeling down beside his bed, he held the sword pointed downwards in a strong grip to his right. Left hand put over the bed, grasping the sheets tightly. He quietly whispered, "May the gods forgive me for my sins, and redeem me when the time comes. I will come to you, my love, when my task is done. Your life will not be in vain."  
  
As he sighed, he stood and stepped from the wooden sandals he wore. Putting them next to the bed, he lied down over the blankets, head nestled onto the soft quilt pillow. Within moments, he slept a sleep of death, without dreams or worry.  
  
The dark man was silent no more. His brazen brown eyes wide open in wracking pain. Atop the tallest tower, tied tightly to a pair of posts. Lines of blood running over his body as the chains around his abdomen tighten roughly, cracking more of his fragile ribs. A loud shout of pain breaks out with the crack of a whip.   
  
Silver locks blow in the breeze, her icy hues glowing with malice as she lashes again at his bare back. Deep blue leathers adorning every curve of her body, free hand turning the wheel beside her to tighten the chains. Feet anchored by spikes into the roof below him, his arms nailed to wooden posts to each side, all strapped with splintering old rope.  
  
A low growl is heard from him, but another cry breaks out from him as a new lash appears behind his left shoulder. A quiet whimper of pain, teeth clenched and almost cracking in pain. The man was consumed in fear of her now, and pain as bad as it had gotten so far. The food not even settled in his belly before the torture had begun.   
  
As winds blew by, the sheer ferocity enough to slice further at his flesh. Blood covers the rooftop around him, leaking over every side as he pales again, leaking his essence away. Clenching his fists for a moment, then realizing that only makes the wounds in his forearms greater.  
  
She cackles loudly in pleasure, enjoying his pain very much, all the sweeter after his recent neurishment. She stepped close behind him now, whip on the ground, but the handle still in her white-knuckled grip. Her cold breath chills over the back of his neck, but he calms, grows quiet as the pain lessens, the wheel released.  
  
She mutters softly, a beautiful but frightening voice echoing from her tender lips, "I'm sure you're having fun, darling, but why don't you tell me just how much it hurts.." kissing his shoulder lightly, grinning evilly, "Pwease? I'm vewwy curious.."  
  
Heavy breathing as the air stills around them, his eyes down, still wide open and fearful. A sound like a wounded animal slow to start, but soon a half-groan leaves him. He turns his head, trying to get away from her. Teardrops long since run out, blood now trails down below his eyes, dropping to the subtle earth and he speaks in a cracked whisper, "It... hurts..."  
  
The chilling laugh, his heart now finally showing it's reluctant fear of her. A loud cry as his arm forces the spike a little out of the post beside him, more blood gushing out at a slowing rate, "Stop.."  
  
His struggle futile, and a little pathetic, she merely taps the spike and it's jammed fully back into the post. Other hand cranking the wheel and further cracking his shattered ribcage, puncturing his heart a thousand times.  
  
"You're here, you deserve this, child..." came her wispy voice, carrying like the wind to his ears, "They sent you to us and I decided you get special treatment. No less than you deserve."  
  
Going on like this, atop the mighty ice palace, his cries heard for miles in the cold air. Fists clutched tightly, he endures every moment without choice, without an option to die or sleep or run away from it. Her laugh all he hears, not bothered with another word as the pain stretches on for what seems forever.  
  
The next town they met with was empty, dead as the night was. Ayane and Hallia's powerful senses proved that this large city was but a aghost town, like any other that seemed to hide themselves in forests.   
  
Upon further inspection, though, things seemed different. Ayane sat and rested by an old and rusted shop, the windows as clean as new. Hallia wandered rooftops, silent and contemplating. But Darigan ventured indoors when he found a smithy.   
  
"How can they do anything inside? A fire could start..." his heavy footsteps patting against a hard granite floor. Looking to the pots of red coals, somehting odd about them. Slowly, he crept forward, looking at the ashes below a few pots.  
  
His eyes widen slightly before turning around and running outside. A heavy breath beats from him with every step before he comes back to where Ayane lay curled at a doorstep.  
  
"Hey Ayane, get Hallia quickly, it's important!" grinning a little, but eyes alert and watchful, not really looking at her as she sat up and rubbed an eye with her paw.  
  
In a moment, Ayane was back at the doorstep, trying to lay comfortably again. Fur a little ruffled now, but she would clean it in the morning.  
  
Hallia looked pissed. Glaring up at Darigan, she says in a quiet tone, "What's so important, Big D?" tapping her foot a little, one hand behind her head, the other on her hip, looking fidgety and restless.  
  
He laughed hesitantly before gesturing around, "I just noticed, this place all looks new!" eyes still trying to peer into every dark corner and crevice.  
  
"Your point?" She said with a sarcastic tone, not looking pleased and trying to maintain eye contact, "I don't like being dragged around for idle chat."  
  
He shrugged, not caring and not listening, "My point is that it looks like this place was deserted no earlier than today. The coals are hot and the food is on the tables and fresh."  
  
Even longer than the last! Yay me? I think I have a bit of a thing for hurting myself, but whatever. I'm kinda hoping to get past the soon parts and hurry to my later ideas, but I hear rushing it can just kill a plot. New ideas for anything real soon will be VERY welcome. (Word to yo motha.) 


	11. Ghost Town

Suddenly feeling inspired, due to three CD's - Nirvana: Unplugged in New York, Drowning Pool Mix, and System of a Down: Toxicity. Really inspiring music, says I. And it's much better when music is right in your ears like mine is just now. Love these earmuff-style headphones.  
  
Ghost Town  
  
As Hallia reclined in her seat, Ayane wandered about the small café. The rich people who would normally prowl this place were gone like the rest, not saved by the money they probably held above most.  
  
"I think it's really odd how all this got left behind, but there's no damage to the town," Darigan said past a mouthful of potatoe soup, a spoon's handle at the corner of his lips.  
  
Hallia rolled her eyes, a little smirk on her dark lips, "Good thinking, genious. What concerns me is whether or not we'll bump into whatever made them leave."  
  
A subtle laugh before she turns her gaze to the idle catgirl, who leant lazily against the counter, a cup of coffee in her gentle grip, tail whipping about in a slowand relaxed manner.  
  
Golden eyes look around behind the desk, focused feline slits narrowed a little on a dark corner before she hears her name and turns, "Huh? Oh yeah, I think so too, Dar." not really paying attention, but sighing quietly. Her free hand rapped the tips of her claws against the counter now behind her.  
  
Darigan crossed his arms, done with the hot stew. Leaning back as Hallia did, but lifting his feet up and resting them both on the table, a foot from eachother, "Hallia said that, Ayane. Something bothering you?"  
  
"Nah, I'm fine. Thanks." Turning her head away, looking a bit melancholy, "Just feel a little blue, dunno why." as she forced a little smile, tail hanging limp, hardly twitching down by her feet.  
  
Her attitude got a concerned look from Darigan, but he pressed no further. Leaning instead over his cup of cold milk. Ayane stepped away from the bar and moves slowly, taking a seat alone at a different table.  
  
"We're leaving in the morning, ladies. Sleep wherever you like. I'll be on my way a little after dawn," Hallia spoke softly, finishing her tea before standing to her feet and walking calmly from the café.  
  
Her heavy boots scraped the harsh earth no sooner than she felt the cold air strike her pale cheeks. Eyes half closed and looking relaxed, sad perhaps. A few steps away from her companions seemed to take forever, time seeming longer every day for her, every breath a little harder.  
  
Darigan shrugged as she left, looking over to the moody feline with gentle oceanic eyes, older than he really was, looking as worn as his rough hands. Intertwining those hands together, the fingers crossing over one another before speaking to her under his breath, "Ayane.. come sit over here with me. I want to talk about things."  
  
She smiled faintly, shrugging a little before she stood and quietly moved across the room to Hallia's seat and leant on it, "Sure. What about, big D?" her amusement looking a bit forced, but her kindness very natural.  
  
He noticed and stood up, his hands flat against the table, "Usually you're so happy, why the sudden change?" he questioned, his concern never faltering, but increasing.  
  
"I'll be fine! I just feel kind bad that you guys are prolly gonna leave me when we get Vicious back. I really like having friends." her eyes nothing like usual, definitely smarter than she usually acted, staring out the window into the night.  
  
He sighed, shaking his head andmoved a hand behind his head, rubbing a bit, "Where are you going after this? Where ya from?" cloak behind him, wrapped over the back of the chair. His voice was gentle, despite his obvious size and strength.  
  
She let out a girlish giggle before looking top him and shaking her head, "I don't know, I don't got a home. Last home I had got blown up, I thought Vicious was in it.."  
  
He nodded, curling the coat over his left forearm and walking closer to her, smile flickering slightly, "You know, you can come stay with me and my sis. We have plenty of space at home and we could use the company. She was quite fond of you." his slightly tan cheeks blushing a bit, eyes cast down now.  
  
A broad smile shows her glistening teeth before she jumps on him, hugging fiercely and laughing a little, "Oh thank you! That sounds great!" her claws digging a little into his back now, tail waving quickly behind her.  
  
His eyes a little winced as he feels the claws in him a bit, but he smiles more and pet her head lightly. Darigan stepped away a little and bowed his head, her own excited form trying it's best to stay calm and bow a bit in return.  
  
Soon enough, Darigan was in a comfortable bed, coat folded neatly in the chair beside him, his large hand rested over it a bit as he snored into the night. Ayane was curled on the floor's carpet, her teeth nipping idly at the end of her tail in her soft slumber, a smile never fading from her lips.  
  
Hallia was stalking the streets, the half-moon above shining down on her pale complexion and ruby red eyes. She coffed quietly, stopping in her treads. An eyebrow cocked a little as the wind began to settle down.  
  
A cocky grin on pink lips as she lowered her gaze to her feet and mumbled quietly, "Trying to catch me alone now, Scythe?"  
  
A laughter from the winds around her indicated that she was correct, though she didn't let on that she didn't know exactly where he was. The slink of a chain neaby caused her to whip about, turning her upper body to the side and a tree to devide up the middle. The wood cracked all the way upwards, into the leaves above before the entire wooden form crumbled in splintered woodchips.  
  
Her smirk glowered a moment longer and she laughed yet again. He had stood not a foot to the left. Gone now, of course, but not far. She could hear the chain her led, the ball he swung in large circles break the air. But the sound was bouncing off the winds around them and make it echo all about, impossible to determine where he was now.  
  
"Ha ha... very good. Nearly needed a new haircut there, didn 't I? Why jump into a fight when I haven't even tried to attack you this time?" his voice came again and again with these words, from all directions.   
  
Her eyebrow twitched a few times, frustrated.  
  
"Just tell me what the fuck you want, kid," she muttered under her breath, eyes slowly searching through the sparse forest round her, "And who sent you. Before I make you jealous of that tree."  
  
He fell down from thin air, holding a long chain encircled around on arm, a heavy ball hanging from one end, a sicklehead being gripped on the other, "Can't say who sent me the first time, but this trip's on me. I failed, they hired someone else. I want to kill that replacement and get back my old job.. Before they kill me, that is."  
  
It was her turn to laugh, and she did. Laughed for a minute, right in his face. But he kept himself composed, waiting for her to stop.She did, she wiped a fake tear from her eye with a sigh and chuckled a little more. Then, she calmly spoke, "Nope." and turned back towards town.  
  
He growled and raised a hand. her feet left the ground a moment, propelling her backwards and towards him. He caught her upper arms, but before he could talk, her hand moved to his hand she cracked his wrist, flipping him to his back in front of her and placing a short dagger to his neck.  
  
He looked up at her, totally calm and growling a little, rubbing his wrist, "Ugh... look at it this way, you don't have to worry about nobody trying to kill you. I'll take care of them and tell my boss the job got done. Sound good?" His mouth covered by a dark blue scarf, but she could see that he was grinning a little.  
  
The sun barely into the sky, Darigan pushed the blankets away and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Placing both heavy feet on the floor before standing his full height and stretching with a loud yawn. Hardly noticing the stretching catgirl on the floor as he walked past her, rubbing his eye and holding his boots and cloak.  
  
His crimson-stained arms hanging limp by his sides, he stood on a plateu of ice, trying to remain standing even as his head throbbed with the agony of the day before. The soft blue surface beneath him was a smooth a surface as any, and a dry ice. His feet's flesh clung readily to the surface, sometimes moreso than the bones that connected it.  
  
He looked up in front of him without a soul in his eyes. Just a quiet whimper as he looked into the icy eyes of the spiked beast in front of him. Ogre-looking and lumbering, dragging heavy forearms on the ground to either side of it, it's hideous face twisted in a permanent look of rage.  
  
It stalked closer to him, several more beasts behind it, some bearing shards of ice jutting out of their limbs like thorns. All of them moving towards him. The platform shifted a little on the thin spike it was balanced upon below. In response, he immediately tore his feet from the ice and walked closer to the creatures, restoring balance.  
  
The first one jumped at him, but he moved to his side, then stepping close to the others as the first slid past him, trying to catch the ice, but to no avail. It kept sliding and then plummeted to the distant ground below, shattered in an instant.  
  
It's secondary instead ran at the man, a broad arm raised and coming down at him and smashing the ice, just as he moved backwards again, balance still stable due to lack of one beast.  
  
His weary eyes blurred a moment before he fell to his side, catching himself and wincing as he landed on a wounded elbow and one of the ogres soared over him. Following the fate of the one before it, it's screech didn't last long.  
  
He again rose to his feet, tears on his cheeks frozen that way and dyed red from blood drippings. The rags he wore were prctically gone now, hardly covering him at all.  
  
A stumble to the left, his weak foot betrayed him. But one of the icy gargoyles rolled past, missed and momentum caryying him to join the other two, even as it screamed in a ghostly high-pitched howl.  
  
The last three all closed in on him slowly, two growling and the middle one behind them, yapping like a dog. His eyes blurred again and he fell forward, laying now on the center of the platform and beneath a spray of ice shards as two of them shattered over him, having met together in a heavy tackle with unlucky timing.  
  
The man breathed heavily and rolled to his back, just as a heavy spiked fist slammed the front of his ribs into the back of them, a low hiss from it's unearthly body, as it felt his heart stop beating.  
  
Er.. to the few Vicious fans out there, I just want to apologize. Trust me, there's a reason for all this. I'm starting to get the hang of things, but help is always welcome. Even if I don't use your ideas, I promise it would probably help alot. 


	12. Nature's Mercenary

For those just now joining us: Read the other chapters, dammit! And for my present fans: Submit reviews at FF.net, dammit! And the rest of you, I give you chapter twelve..  
  
Nature's Mercenary  
  
At last, as he retyed his sash and reattached the scabbard to his hip, Seikensu stepped away from his very tidy bed. Golden eyes looked over the room in one quick sweep. As he nodded to himself, the young man strode to the door and opened it.  
  
The quiet hallway was all he could hear for a moment before a clatter met his ears. He smiled softly and turned towards the stairs. His left hand smoothly slipping a grip to the handle of his sword as he took every step with great care.  
  
A glimpse of Seikensu before xen turned away in the kitchen, pouring eggs onto a plate, then swiftly a few slices of bacon and nimbly dropping an springroll beside them. With a smile nearly forced, he turned with the plate in hand, an empty one in the table behind him and said quickly, "Staying for breakfast? Best not to travel on an empty stomach."  
  
A quiet and gentle laugh before Seikensu released his blade, not straying his hand far from it and cautiously took a seat at a small table. Moving the sheath over his lap before nodding a little, "I would love a warm meal, thank you." bowing his head curteously as xen placed the plate in front of him.  
  
Xen walked away with no more than a 'No problem' before attending various duties around the quiet inn.  
  
Seikensu observed the paintings that dotted the walls sparsely. Portraits of warriors who have visited over the years. A few of them didn't look human, and most of them weren't human either, upon a longer look. They all looked very powerful, but more than a few wore cloaks.  
  
With a sigh, Seikensu wiped his upper lip with a paper napkin, his plate cleared and nearly spotless. Lifting it in hand befor putting it down again at the silent gesture of xen to do so.  
  
The red-heaired man replaced his sword and lowered his eyes, walking towards the door as his cheeks turned slightly pink. Smirking a little, but feeling more ashamed of himself than anything.  
  
Xen suddenly turned and really grinned, "Uh, you forgot to pay, sir." causing a pause in Seikensu, "W-well you see.." and the door swung open, Seikensu sprinting away outside.  
  
As his eyes slid open, the dark-haired man felt warm. Shivering a little inside, remembering his death. The darkness in all directions made him feel as if his eyes hadn't opened at all. As he rose slowly to his feet, he could feel cloth over his body.  
  
Quiet surrounding him, he stood on strong and sturdy feet, trying to gain a little balance. The muscles on him didn't ache very much, as they usually have. He spoke in a cracked whisper, he spoke, "Where am I...?"  
  
A quiet laughter met his ears before seveal bursts of light fell down around him, spotlights on seven spots. The shadowy forms there all stood properly, all looking very proper in most respects.  
  
One man in a red robe, two in different shades of green, and a woman in a blue dress were what he could see, but darker forms stood behind him. The red and blue pair directly in front of them, glanced at one another before the man spoke in a heavy tone.  
  
"You are in our court. We are the seven dark sides of nature." He spoke as if trying to be pleasant to the dark-haired man, as he looked over the subtle black robe they had dressed him with. The tall and slim woman in blue did not look pleased with it, while the two men in green seemed more observant than they.  
  
The man tried to turn his head, to get a look at the others behind him, he could hear their breath, and the giggle of a girl, but found her couldn't move that well at the moment. Not yet saying a word, he turned his wondering eyes back to the man in red.  
  
"I am Ifrit, of Fire. And this chamber is meant only for special occasions.." He said almost wearily, as if reluctant, "And you, Vicious, have attracted our attention."  
  
The man flinched at the name, his hazel eyes looking a bit afraid of it. In a hushed whisper, he spoke calmly, "..How? What have I.. Done?"  
  
A quiet laughter from the three behind him, causing the blue woman and Ifrit to look uneasy. Ifrit raised a hand and they grew quieter, only the girl's giggle lasting a moment longer.  
  
Ifrit spoke again, this time as if to a child, "We have enemies that we can't reach from here. If you help us, you shall be rewarded."  
  
The man in the lighter shade of green, a short beard and mustance over his beard, spoke now, "I still don't think this is necessary. If they show up, one of us alone could handle it."  
  
Vicious looked a little around, then towards the portly man in a darker green robe who observed calmly the entire situation..  
  
The woman in green laughed a bit at the light green man, "Yes, but I'd rather they don't even get that far. As much as I'd hate to give up my pet, I don't want anything broken."  
  
A grunt from him told Vicious that he had given up. The others all nodded a little before Ifrit smiled to the woman, "Thank you, Shiva. And you do have a point. We must keep order in our regions of Hell. This man can surely take care of our friends above if we merely grant him the power."  
  
A quiet murmer between two men behind him made Vicious turn his head a bit, trying his best to think and finding it very difficult. The darkness all around them made him feel a little uneasy, for he could now feel the shackles on his wrists and ankles, though he couldn't see them.  
  
A moment later, Vicious looked back at Ifrit to see a glimpse of a great red beast, then the man in the red robe standing in it's place, looking a bit upset at something, "Alright, it is time. Vicious, if you accept, just close your eyes and nod, we will grant you the power to fend off our foes.."  
  
As Darigan breathed in the morning air, he felt Ayane brush past him out the front door of the tavern. He laughed a little as Ayane rolled over forwards and jumped to her feet. Calming himself and smiling a bit as he crossed his arms and leant to the side against the doorframe.  
  
Ayane turned back to him and laughed a little too, before starting to run backwards and quickly kick off the dusty earth. Her body bending backwards before she cought herself on her forepaws, then lifting her legs and pushing off the ground. Sent flipping into the air, she turned in place, and landed with her back turned to where she came.  
  
Darigan clapped his hands together, stepping closer to her and nodding his head, "Bravo, bravo! That looked great, Ayane!" his cloak brushing the ground around his heavy boots, the ends of his long jeans scuffing a bit beneath the backs of his shoes. The cloak open at the moment, except for one clasped button.  
  
Ayane bowed and licked her teeth once before turning and running off. Within a moment, though, she stopped in her tracks as the fur on her upper back bristled. Darigan swiftly moved a hand into his jacket and spoke calmly, "Ayane.. is there something wrong?" as he looked alert himself, casting a glance in all directions.  
  
Then, he stepped back once as he saw the fur on Ayane grow a bit, and fade to white with dark stripes down her back. Her claws growing quickly on her paws and new blades brandishing on the end of her tail.  
  
A more feline face formed as her face covered in soft fur as well. Golden eyes turning an icy blue, she whipped around, turning to the side and letting out a powerful roar.  
  
The earth could be felt rumbling as Ayane's roar shook the air around her. The steel spikes on her tail tearing easily at the earth every time it whipped nearby, lashing impatiently.  
  
Air settling a little, Darigan looking very alarms but trying to stay still. His eyes now focused on the large cat. His muscles bulged slightly, even straining the cloth of his jacket. He stepped closer once, but Ayane didn't notice, "Ayane, answer me if you can.. Are you alright?"  
  
Another chapter complete! And with time to spare! Good for me, ya know? I took a bit longer writing this, since I felt like jotting down some Bio's for every character involved in this story. A few characters pending their creators' permission. Finally, I'm getting better at this and it's easier to write. Many thanks to System of a Down and a couple of friends for all their help. 


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